Dienstag, Dezember 23, 2008

Commoners and most particularly, this Herr Graf's servants, have strange customs during the winter season ( probably due to some Bolshevish influences ), such as storming Herr Von's Schloss and taking over. Well this terrible uprising took place during last night, the time it has always happened over the centuries.Fortunately , and it is probably not even necessary to say that this, Herr Graf's silent Schloss guardians, as always, have efficiently put down the revolt but those agitators left a mess behind. The rebels have been confined to the humid Schloss cellars where in addition to the gloom they will have to watch talkie movies.

Meanwhile, as discipline and order are not completely restored at the Schloss, this Herr Graf is going to spend an idle time in that perfid Albion capital city, a decadent and perfect place for a German aristocrat, certainly.

So during the next days the Schloss silent theater will be closed but fear not, the January reentré will be glorious so till that day this Herr Graf would like to send you the Season's greetings and very best wishes for 2009!".

Samstag, Dezember 20, 2008

During the silent film era there were many important and famous directors who contributed with their mastery to the greatness of such film art but there were also other remarkable but not well-known film directors who also made good films. These interesting oeuvres unfortunately made little impact and are often not remembered in spite of their artistic merits. The American film director Herr Monta Bell was responsible for a number of these good (though not great) movies.

This Herr Graf likes specially Herr Bell’s films, little pieces of craftsmanship in the silent era, perfectly planned and never disappointing.Herr Bell was influenced in his directorial style by Herr Ernst Lubitsch ( beside working with Herr Charles Chaplin ) and it is possible to see this in many of his films; elegant comedies, sometimes as sophisticated as the Herr Lubitsch ones, not with the German director’s touch, certainly, but elegant, stylish and displaying an ironic sense of humour, anyway.

“Lady Of The Night” is not one of those remarkable Herr Bell’s stylish comedies but it is certainly a good film, one of those Herr Bell’s small pictures, brief but intense and with excellent final artistic results.The film depicts the story of two women from very different backgrounds; Dame Molly Hellmer and Dame Florence Banning, both played by Dame Norma Shearer in a double role. They are in love with the same youngster, a successful inventor who has a complicated task on his hands; he must sell his invention and pick the girl he will spend the rest of his life with.

The parallel stories and the different backgrounds of the two women, are depicted in detail and there is an excellent performance by Dame Shearer who expertly captures the different gestures and habits in the way both women face life; it’s a “tour de force” and even though it seems simple it is actually complex.The film is also perfectly balanced, with witty editing showing transitions from Dame Molly to Dame Florence, especially at the beginning of the film. With skill and craftsmanship the film narrative goes from to a barroom dance to a luxurious mansion very smoothly, reflecting different social realities that have only one thing in common: the sufferings of love.

Herr Bell knows (as does this German count) that different social classes cannot be mixed and that’s what happens in “Lady Of The Night” but in order not to disillusion the audience and keep them dreaming those impossible dreams, Herr Bell includes some humour and also an ironic and cynical ending, as happens in many of Herr Bell’s films. After all, those two different girls are realistic not foolish ones and know pretty well what the future has in store for them.

And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must drink a double cocktail.

Freitag, Dezember 12, 2008

At this silent point, it is not necessary to explain who were Dame Gloria Swanson and Herr Rudolph Valentino, two silent icons both well known and recognizable for anyone interested in the silent era or even afterwards.Both silent stars worked together in only one film, “Beyond The Rocks” directed by Herr Sam Wood during the silent year of 1922. It was considered lost for many decades until miraculously a nitrate emerged from darkness and was carefully restored by suitable curators at the “Filmmuseum”. Obviously the interest in watching such an important silent couple in that film was enormous after so many years, but this German count finds the film’s artistic merits noteworthy as well.

The words elegance and discretion best describe the tone of the film.

It is the story of a larger than life love between Dame Theodora Fitzgerald ( Gloria Swanson ) and Lord Hector Bracondale ( Rudolph Valentino ). Theodora is married to Captain Fitzgerald ( Alec B. Francis ) but it’s a matter of economics not love as the match was a way of giving financial support to her family, namely her father and her two older sisters.

The passion Lord Hector and Theodora feel for each other is depicted in a well mannered, discreet but at the same time, passionate way; a restricted love that must be suffered in silence in order to avoid a scandal and consequently put at risk the financial support of Dame Fitzgerald’s family. This is a hidden love that must wait for better times in order to be consummated.

Such restrained passion is due to decency and the social convention that such affairs not be public; after all adultery is a delicate subject for couples from all social classes, not to mention that 80 years ago it was even more complicated to depict adultery on the silent screen due to censorship. Immoral conduct although older than recorded history and practiced for centuries, cannot be justified even in an artistic way according to the censors of that day.

So Herr Sam Wood’s direction is perfect; he maintains the slow tempo and the frustrations “in crescendo” of such inappropriate love sufferings of the couple. This gives the film the perfect mood, sometimes stilted but at the same time lovely and decadent, helped by the convincing performances of both silent stars, glamorous Dame Swanson and charming Her Valentino.

Sometimes, watching the film, this Herr Von was on the verge of losing his temper and said out loud at the Schloss screen: “both of you are young, handsome and rich, so what are you waiting for to commit adultery, for Gott’s sake??!!”…, a logical aristocratic reaction. Fortunately Dame Fitzgerald and Herr Bracondale knew pretty well that it is much better to suppress basic aristocratic instincts and wait and suffer properly in order to finally get their longed for reward, or as they say in the film, wait until they have “passed the rocks and be finally in the safe waters beyond”.

And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must drink a cocktail on the rocks.

Samstag, Dezember 06, 2008

There are a lot of essential and distinguished silent film pioneers who contributed greatly to film history with their mastery of cinema art but they do not always appeal to all of the world’s silent film fans. It is a question of personal preference that does not deny their important merits, natürlich!!. For example there is a strained relationship between this German count and Herr D. W. Griffith.

But fortunately there is always an exception that proves the rule, a film that plays to the strengths of the director and will even impress a German count who has his own standards.

“Isn’t Life Wonderful” is a masterpiece, a film that has the usual Griffith story subjects ( of course there’s an orphan) and is impeccably directed.

The film tells the story of a family of Polish refugees in Germany in the hard times of the aftermath of the WWI. It was a struggle to survive and make a living as there was unemployment, hunger, a financial disaster dominated by uncontrollable inflation and terrible social conditions. Herr Griffith depicts these tragedies perfectly.In spite of facing a gloomy future, the couple that stars in the film, Dame Inga ( Dame Carol Dempster in a moving performance ) and Herr Paul ( Neil Hamilton ) try to bear these troublesome times with some optimism, a complicated task in itself given that disease almost kills Herr Paul and one can hardly forget that hunger makes turnips the German national food par excellence. Nevertheless, Inga and Paul face those problems with inner strength and unconditional love.

Herr Griffith handles the story in a realistic way, without moralizing and avoiding the tearful aspects of the story ( an important aspect that this German count appreciates very much ) or demonizing people. After all everyone suffered the social and financial crises in their own way. This is a down to earth film that shows a harsh reality tempered by hope and contains beautiful scenes that broke the heart of a heartless German count. There are outstanding scenes, particularly the one where Inga and Paul are chased through the woods by hungry and unemployed workers, an excellent example of classic Herr Griffith editing.

To make a film about such difficult times and striking the right balance between realism and a larger than life love story that intertwines sadness and hope is a task only a few of the great silent film masters could accomplish and to this German aristocrat, forgetting old rivalries, it must said that Herr D. W. Griffith was one of those.

And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must avoid the financial crisis of his Teutonic heiresses.